Why I Hope Arts Integration Will Spark Conversations at Home

Author: Cori Matos Aguilera

I'm finishing another month with ArtistCorps and I feel so grateful to be doing this work! Zoom and filming from home have both been a challenge, but I’m looking at it as a lesson in adapting, staying organized, and learning new skills. It would be easy to stay hung up on the hardships and frustrations, but when it comes to community service, knowing my values and why I am doing this work keeps me on track and feeling grateful.

ArtistCorps has made me realize the true value of the arts. Growing up, I was exposed to visual arts, dance, music, and drama, and, in retrospect, those are the moments I most looked forward to when walking into my school. It is also such a constant throughout different cultures - we all have art, regardless of where we come from. We recently did a "dance around the world" video series for arts integration and it was such a privilege to speak about Venezuela, where I grew up, and share some things about our culture with the students. My hope with the series is that we will spark conversations between the kids and their families about the arts both in their familial and heritage traditions. How lucky we are to have arts in education!